# US 2014/0207255 A1 · Apparatus and method for determining an aggregate control connection status of a field device in a process control system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0207255 A1 - Document ID: US20140207255A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/748,863 - Filed: 2013-01-24 - Published: 2014-07-24 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-24 - Assignees: Honeywell International Inc. - Applicants: Honeywell International, Inc. - Inventors: Vibhor Tandon; Ritwik Ganguly; Falgun Bhayani - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140207255A1 ## CPC - G05B 19/0428: {Safety, monitoring (G05B19/0423 takes precedence)} - G05B 2219/24001: Maintenance, repair - G05B 2219/25428: Field device - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) ## Abstract A method includes identifying a plurality of elements in a process control system that uses a process value from a field device. The method also includes identifying an aggregate control connection status of the field device by (i) determining whether one or more of the elements can use a manual value in place of the process value, (ii) determining whether one or more other elements in the plurality can use a user configured value, and (iii) evaluating a logic expression based on results of the determining in (i) and (ii). The method further includes determining whether the field device is available to be taken offline based on the aggregate control connection status. In addition, the method includes generating a notification based on the determination of whether the field device is available to be taken offline. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: identifying a plurality of elements in a process control system that uses a process value from a field device; identifying an aggregate control connection status of the field device by (i) determining whether one or more of the elements can use a manual value in place of the process value, (ii) determining whether one or more other elements in the plurality can use a user configured value, and (iii) evaluating a logic expression based on results of the determining in (i) and (ii); determining whether the field device is available to be taken offline based on the aggregate control connection status; and generating a notification based on the determination of whether the field device is available to be taken offline. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: identifying a plurality of connections to the field device as logic points; wherein: identifying the elements comprises identifying the elements within the logic points; and identifying the aggregate control connection status comprises determining whether at least one of the elements in each logic point can use the manual value. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: providing a manually simulated value to the elements in place of the process value when the field device is taken offline. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: modifying the logic expression. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the logic expression ignores at least one result of whether one or more of the elements can use the manual value. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: sending the notification as at least one of a message to a human machine interface, an email message, or a short messaging service (SMS) text message. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the notification is displayed on the field device. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the aggregate control connection status of the field device comprises at least one of: identifying the aggregate control connection status of the field device in response to a user request; identifying the aggregate control connection status of the field device using a background process; or identifying the aggregate control connection status of the field device according to a schedule. ### Claim 9 An apparatus comprising: at least one memory configured to store information identifying a plurality of elements in a process control system that uses a process value from a field device; and at least one processing device configured to: identify the plurality of elements; identify an aggregate control connection status of the field device by (i) determining whether one or more of the elements can use a manual value in place of the process value, (ii) determining whether one or more other elements in the plurality can use a user configured value, and (iii) evaluating a logic expression based on results of the determining in (i) and (ii); determine whether the field device is available to be taken offline based on the aggregate control connection status; and generate a notification based on the determination of whether the field device is available to be taken offline. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9, wherein: the at least one processing device is further configured to identify a plurality of connections to the field device as logic points; the at least one processing device is configured to identify the elements within the logic points; and the at least one processing device is configured to determine whether at least one of the elements in each logic point can use the manual value. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the at least one processing device is further configured to provide a manually simulated value to the elements in place of the process value when the field device is taken offline. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the at least one processing device is further configured to modify the logic expression. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the logic expression ignores at least one result of whether one or more of the elements can use the manual value. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the at least one processing device is further configured to: send the notification as at least one of a message to a human machine interface, an email message, or a short messaging service (SMS) text message; and send the notification to the field device. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the at least one processing device is further configured to at least one of: identify the aggregate control connection status of the field device in response to a user request; identify the aggregate control connection status of the field device using a background process; or identify the aggregate control connection status of the field device according to a schedule. ### Claim 16 A non-transitory computer readable medium embodying a computer program, the computer program comprising computer readable program code for: identifying a plurality of elements in a process control system that uses a process value from a field device; identifying an aggregate control connection status of the field device by (i) determining whether one or more of the elements can use a manual value in place of the process value, (ii) determining whether one or more other elements in the plurality can use a user configured value, and (iii) evaluating a logic expression based on results of the determining in (i) and (ii); determining whether the field device is available to be taken offline based on the aggregate control connection status; and generating a notification based on the determination of whether the field device is available to be taken offline. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein: the computer program further comprises computer readable program code for identifying a plurality of connections to the field device as logic points; the computer readable program code for identifying the elements comprises computer readable program code for identifying the elements within the logic points; and the computer readable program code for identifying the aggregate control connection status comprises computer readable program code for determining whether at least one of the elements in each logic point can use the manual value. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the computer program further comprises computer readable program code for providing a manually simulated value to the elements in place of the process value when the field device is taken offline. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the computer program further comprises computer readable program code for modifying the logic expression, wherein the logic expression ignores at least one result of whether one or more of the elements can use the manual value. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the computer program further comprises computer readable program code for: sending the notification as at least one of a message to a human machine interface, an email message, or a short messaging service (SMS) text message; and sending the notification send the notification to the field device.